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Issue Description
Although the use of illegal drugs has fallen over the last ten years, it remains a serious problem for society. In 2007, 25% of pupils aged 11 to 15 said they had tried drugs at least once. What are the effects of illegal drugs and how is drug use being tackled? This book looks at information about illegal drugs, trends in drug use and drugs and the law.
The information comes from a variety of sources, including government reports and statistics, newspapers and magazine articles, surveys and polls, academic research and literature from charities and lobby groups; articles have been tailored to an 11 to 14 age group. Additionally, at the end of each chapter are two pages of activities relating to the articles and issues raised in that chapter.
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Key Facts
- In the UK, the main piece of legislation covering drugs is the Misuse of Drugs Act first introduced in 1971. The act groups drugs into various classifications, using an A, B and C grouping where class A is considered the most harmful and therefore has the highest penalty. (page 2)
- Drugs are usually placed into three broad categories based upon their effects: stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens. (page 2)
- Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Britain. (page 3)
- In 2007, 17% of pupils aged 11 to 15 said they had taken drugs in the last year and 10% in the last month. The prevalence of drug use is similar among boys and girls, and increases with age. (page 10)
- Over the last decade, use of illegal drugs in the UK has fallen to an 11-year low. Drug-related crime has also dropped by a fifth over the last five years.
- A study published by the Lancet in spring 2007 concluded UK drugs policy was not fit for purpose. Looking at the harm caused by various narcotic substances, it found alcohol was the fifth most dangerous drug available, following heroin, cocaine, barbituates and methadone, yet it is not included in the ABC system. Tobacco emerged as the ninth most dangerous drug, ahead of cannabis and the Class A drugs ecstasy and LSD. (page 21)
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: Drug Abuse
Drugs in the UK, Cannabis, Cocaine, Ecstasy, Solvents, Hallucinogens, Heroin, Speed, Drug deaths, Young people and drug use, Street drug trends, Supply of cannabis, Activities.
Chapter Two: Tackling Drugs
New plan to tackle illegal drugs, Tackling substance misuse, Drug legislation, Drugs and politics, Q&A: cannabis reclassification, Drug smuggling, Should drugs be legalised?, Activities.
